Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Washington, D.C.

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August 12, 2022
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Highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Washington, D.C.

Cooking meat low and slow over an indirect heat source—the only real qualifications for barbecue—is a truly American tradition, going back to indigenous cultures and picked up by early Spanish colonizers who also gave it the name the cooking style goes by now: barbacoa. Today, barbecue is a wildly popular staple across the U.S., with many cities and regions boasting their own take (and all claiming to have the best). Because barbecue meat spends hours upon hours cooking, restaurants are a go-to source for many Americans who would rather not spend all day and all night tending to their flames. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Washington, D.C. on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Some restaurants on the list may have recently closed.

#23. Ruthie's All-day

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (27 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Barbecue, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 3411 5th St S, Arlington, VA 22204-1719
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. American Ice Co.

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (25 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Bar, Pub
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 917 V St NW, Washington DC, DC 20001-4025
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (18 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Barbecue, Asian
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1119 N Hudson St, Arlington, VA 22201-5013
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Pork Barrel BBQ

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (108 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 2312 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301-1320
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Smokecraft Modern Barbecue

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (10 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: Barbecue, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1051 N Highland St, Arlington, VA 22201-2167
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Rocklands Barbeque & Grilling Company

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (126 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 3471 Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201-4507
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Sweet Fire Donna's

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (190 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 510 John Carlyle St Carlyle District, Alexandria, VA 22314-6802
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Hogs On The Hill III

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (17 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, Barbecue
- Price: $
- Address: 2003 Bladensburg Rd NE, Washington DC, DC 20018-3602
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,634 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Steakhouse, Brazilian
- Price: $$$$
- Address: 1101 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC, DC 20004-2514
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Epic Smokehouse

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (310 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1330 S Fern St, Arlington, VA 22202-2862
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Willie's Brew and Que

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (50 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 300 Tingey St SE, Washington DC, DC 20003-4625
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Garden District

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (19 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Bar, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1801 14th St NW, Washington DC, DC 20009-4425
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. Acre 121

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (27 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1400 Irving St NW Ste 109, Washington DC, DC 20010-2891
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Texas Jacks Barbecue

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (270 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: Bar, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 2761 Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. The Bbq Joint

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (13 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1309 5th St NE Union Market, Washington DC, DC 20002-7003
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Pitmaster Back Alley

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (13 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 4818 Yuma St NW, Washington DC, DC 20016-2000
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Fat Pete's Barbecue

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (11 reviews)
- Detailed ratings:
- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 801 18th St NW, Washington DC, DC 20006-3517
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#6. Fat Pete's BBQ

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (146 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 3407 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC, DC 20008-1307
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Smoke and Barrel

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (156 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Bar
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 2471 18th St, Washington DC, DC
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (157 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 2418 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington DC, DC 20007-1845
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. DCity Smokehouse

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (90 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 203 Florida Ave NW Washington, DC 20001NW, Washington DC, DC 20001-1801
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Federalist Pig

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (101 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 1654 Columbia Rd NW, Washington DC, DC 20009-3602
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Hill Country Barbecue Market

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (1,300 reviews)
- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
- Type of cuisine: American, Southwestern
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Address: 410 7th St NW, Washington DC, DC 20004-2217
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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